Dead of the Night
by Maplestrike
Summary: In DarkClan, there is only one known way of discipline. Breaking the warrior code will earn any cat a death penalty. Countless generations have lived and died by these rules, but how much longer will it be before the legacy of DarkClan comes tumbling down?
1. Prologue: The Legacy of DarkClan

DarkClan always was a mystery. Of all the clans, they were the most enigmatic. No cats except DarkClan themselves knew anything about how their clan worked. No one had any idea how their kits were raised, how their apprentices were trained, or how they chose their deputies and medicine cats.

All the clans had their own variation of the warrior code. Each clan made it a part of apprentice training to learn the other clan's warrior codes. All of them, that is, except DarkClan. They certainly learned the other warrior codes, but they kept their own variation a strict secret. When gatherings were held, the DarkClan leader was only ever accompanied by the deputy and medicine cat.

For seasons, the other clans had wondered about why DarkClan were so secretive, so unwilling to talk to any other clan. Moons passed, and eventually DarkClan stopped coming to gatherings. They stopped patrolling their borders, and their medicine cat stopped going to the Moonpool.

One day, the other clans sent a patrol into DarkClan territory to find out once and for all what was going on. The whole territory was completely deserted. The freshest scents were from moons ago. But when the patrol ventured into the camp, they found a group of cats gathered in the warriors den, snarling but afraid.

In truth, DarkClan had left the forest one moonless night, and never came back. But not all of them left. Only Coldstar, the deputy, the strongest warriors, the queens and their mates left. The rest of the cats, along with the medicine cat, stayed behind.

DarkClan had left the weaklings behind, the younger warriors and elders, the apprentices and the kits. The medicine cat, Nightshade, delivered a chilling message to the clans, directly from the leader himself.

"DarkClan have grown tired of the weak ways of the forest. For moons, we have scouted beyond our territory, trying to find our new home. And when we found it, we left.

"DarkClan has taken only the strongest. The strongest warriors, Redclaw our deputy, and the queens. The queens will breed a new generation of DarkClan warriors. Warriors who are born to kill!"

DarkClan's leader, Coldstar, was probably the only cat the other clans would easily recognize. He had a stark white pelt, so short his skin was almost visible through it. The other clans would tell their kits nursery stories about him eating naughty kits who broke the warrior code. What the other clans didn't know is that they had touched so close to the truth.

DarkClan have been away from the forest for many seasons now. They have a new leader, Scorchstar, who may be even more brutal than Coldstar ever was.

Then one day, a cat was born into DarkClan. A cat who had the compassion that every other cat in DarkClan lacked.

This is her story. The tale of her struggle to act as ruthless as her clan, when she knew their ways were wrong.


	2. Allegiances: DarkClan

_**DarkClan allegiances: **_

**Leader: Scorchstar **Big white tom with a black scorch mark on his flank

**Deputy: Duskclaw **Small white tom with long, black claws and amber eyes

**Medicine cat: Eaglewing **Brown tom with short thick fur and green eyes

**Warriors (in order of strength):**

**Stormfang **Dark gray tom with amber eyes and a long tail (Apprentice Flintpaw)  
**Gorsetuft **Tom with pale gray fur and dark blue eyes (Apprentice Hollypaw)  
**Shadefoot **A dappled gray and black tom with green eyes  
**Maplestrike **Lithe golden she cat with green eyes; deceptively weak looking (Apprentice Sootpaw)  
**Blackfire **Black tom with ginger dusting his pelt  
**Smokenose **Gray she cat with a black nose and amber eyes  
**Talondust **Pale gray white tom with white patches  
**Archsnow **Small white tom with long claws  
**Nightberry **Dark ginger she cat with long whiskers and pale blue eyes  
**Shellstripe **Gray she cat with darker specks  
**Brambletail **Tortoiseshell tom with wide amber eyes  
**Yellowclaw **Pale ginger she cat with green eyes  
**Coppertooth **Small ginger tom with long teeth  
**Speckleleaf **Little tabby she cat with bright green eyes

**Apprentices **(cats who are four moons or more, in training to be warriors)

**Flintpaw **Gray flint-coloured tom with strong, wide shoulders  
**Sootpaw **Black tom with short, thick fur and blue eyes  
**Hollypaw **Dark gray coloured she cat with fierce amber eyes

**Queens **(She cats nursing or expecting kits)

**Wildflower **Tortoiseshell she cat with amber eyes, mother to **Echokit, Blizzardkit and Loudkit  
****Emberleaf **Ginger she cat with green eyes, mother to **Dustkit **and **Thornkit**

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**Just in case you were wondering, the names aren't supposed to sound quite normal. **

**Thank you for the reviews from **Hollyleaf1243, AquaxSapphirine **and **Echo of a Stormy Night**, especially so soon after I posted the prologue!**

**The story is only just beginning... **


	3. Chapter 1: Echokit and Stormfang

Wildflower's litter was born on the night of the new moon, the luckiest night a litter could be born on. If a DarkClan cat was born at the new moon, it meant they would be one of the best warriors when they grew up. Scorchstar had been born on the night of the new moon, and Duskclaw the deputy had been born then too. Blizzardkit, Echokit and Loudkit were definitely a very lively litter, play-fighting before they were one moon old. They were also the most intelligent kits DarkClan had seen in a long time. They had learned the DarkClan warrior code by the time they were three moons old, and every day they would sit and recite it, one by one.

"Defend DarkClan with your life."

"You cannot make friends with any cat outside DarkClan, rouges and kittypets alike."

"Do not hunt outside DarkClan's territory."

"The warriors must be fed before any other cats, in order to keep the clan strong."

"Prey is killed only to be eaten. Give thanks to the warrior code for the prey."

"A kit must start its apprentice training at four moons old."

"Newly appointed warriors must prove their loyalty to DarkClan and the warrior code before they can be true warriors."

"A cat cannot be ranked as the strongest warrior unless they have mentored three apprentice and performed at least one execution."

"When the previous deputy becomes leader, dies or retires, the highest ranking warrior will become the new deputy."

"DarkClan will gather every full moon by the Dark River. Executions may only be performed on this night."

"Borders must be marked and checked daily. All trespassers must be executed."

"Every queen must teach their kits the basics of warrior training before they become an apprentice."

"The word of the clan leader is the warrior code."

"An honourable and loyal warrior will always support their leader and deputy."

"A warrior rejects the soft lives of loners, rouges and kittypets."

"If a cat breaks any rule of the warrior code, they must face a trial and execution for their crimes."

Blizzardkit was the fighter of the three, with broad shoulders bigger than some of the apprentices, and longer claws than his mother. Loudkit was the hunter, having mastered the hunter's crouch at just two moons. Echokit was much quieter than her brothers. Cats seemed to notice the two toms first, then spot Echokit lurking in a corner. She was the most intelligent by far, critically analysing her two brothers whenever she had the chance.

* * *

"Echokit, what are you doing? Hurry up eating and come and play!" Loudkit's boisterous mew sounded from across the camp. Echokit turned around. Loudkit was chasing Emberleaf's kits, Dustkit and Thornkit. Blizzardkit was hiding in the nettle patch, waiting for the kits to run past. Sighing, Echokit turned back to the fresh-kill pile, and picked out a plump mouse. Settling down by the fallen trunk, she began to eat her prey, watching in amusement as Blizzardkit jumped out right in front of Dustkit, who yowled with surprise and went running back to Emberleaf. Licking one paw and drawing it over her whiskers, she was just about to join in the game when her father came trotting into camp.

"Stormfang!" she yowled, running towards her father. Stormfang stopped, and looked around for a moment until he noticed his daughter standing at his paws. He sighed.

"I'm busy, Echokit. We found a loner on the border, and Scorchstar will need me for the trial," he said, twitching his ear. Echokit rolled her eyes inwardly.

"But I want to play with you," she moaned. Stormfang growled.

"Echokit, this is a very important matter, and Scorchstar will need me." Then his expression changed.

"You can come and watch the trial then, as long as you're quiet. After all, you'll be the one making the decisions one day." He pointed to the fallen trunk with his tail.

"Wait there for me. I'll take you to the Dark River once I've reported to Scorchstar." Stormfang turned around and headed toward the bramble tunnel that went to the leader's den. Echokit went and sat on the tree trunk, filled with apprehension. She wanted to know what happened at a trial, even though her instincts told her that it wasn't anything good. All she knew is the next full moon after a trial, the clan would come back from the gathering with blood on their paws. Looking over at Loudkit and Blizzardkit, who were now showing Thornkit and Dustkit how to play-fight, she thought she had better not mention to her brothers that she was going to a trial. She wanted this to be something for her and Stormfang to share, especially as he was always taking them out for hunting practise, even though they were still kits. Instead, she decided to tell Wildflower. She called to her mother, who was soaking up the sun by the nettle patch. She opened one eye, then heaved herself to her feet and padded over to Echokit.

"Yes, Echokit? What is it?" asked Wildflower sleepily.

"Stormfang is taking me to watch a trial," she said, trying not to let her apprehension show. Wildflower's eyes softened.

"It's always strange to watch your first trial," she murmured sympathetically. "Every cat has to learn though, sooner or later." She saw Echokit staring over at Blizzardkit and Loudkit. Before the little kit could speak, Wildflower spoke.

"Don't worry, I won't tell those two," she said with a hint of amusement. "They'll get to see one soon enough. Go on now, there's Stormfang." And she ushered her kit over to Stormfang.

"Are you ready to see your first trial of DarkClan?" asked Stormfang. Echokit nodded.

"Okay then, let's go."

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**This is probably my fifth draft of the first chapter, R&R and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism welcome (so long as it's not too much criticism)! **


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